OLI
Introduction
The giant spends his days tending the gardens around his gray castle, as those are among the few colors in his world. He never imagined life could change, until one day he met other giants.
Tech
- 3D Animation
At the time, I was very fond of O. Henry's short story 'The Gift of the Magi.'
The story is about a poor young couple, Jim and Della, who each sell their most treasured possession to buy a special Christmas gift for the other. Jim sells his gold watch to buy Della a set of combs she has always wanted; Della sells her long hair to buy Jim a platinum watch chain. Although their gifts become useless because they lost what they were meant to go with, the story embodies mutual care and understanding.
But if you stretch the story, what if one side doesn't feel cared for? After all, it's supposed to be a two-way relationship.
Often, we think of owners caring for pets, parents for children, or people who enjoy caring for plants as a hobby. On the surface, it seems one-sided, but in reality, 'those things' also care for you. On a spiritual level, too much concern and calculation can blind you to this reciprocal relationship, and can lead to emotional exhaustion for one side.
The scene and characters were carefully considered: low-saturation tones, plants that grow (or overgrow) through irrigation, peeking windows, overturned mugs, and spilled water—all hint at the shift from balance to imbalance in relationships.
The emptiness in the giant's heart is also a garden. As the outer garden flourishes, so does the one inside; conversely, barren land and vanishing plants, walking alone into an empty castle, mean the inner garden withers, leaving only a hollow void.
The giant has no facial features, not only to let viewers project themselves onto it, but also to avoid over-interpreting its emotions.
The design of the poster and motion poster also echo each other.
The three floors represent the three stages of a relationship: observation, care, and imbalance, from bottom to top. The flat poster shows two circles pulling against each other, symbolizing the duality of relationships—inseparable yet flexible. The two or three interlocking circles also represent the inseparability of these three stages.
The name of this work, 'OLI', stands for 'Observe, Love, Imbalance', and was also my childhood nickname.
I was a somewhat rebellious child, preferring to understand the world and my relationships in my own way. I often wondered if having the concept of mutual care would make relationships healthier.
Looking at the work now, it feels too stream-of-consciousness, fragmented, lacking a coherent story, and focused too much on visuals at the expense of storytelling.
The design of the poster and motion poster also echo each other.
The three floors represent the three stages of a relationship: observation, care, and imbalance, from bottom to top. The flat poster shows two circles pulling against each other, symbolizing the duality of relationships—inseparable yet flexible. The two or three interlocking circles also represent the inseparability of these three stages.
The name of this work, 'OLI', stands for 'Observe, Love, Imbalance', and was also my childhood nickname.
I was a somewhat rebellious child, preferring to understand the world and my relationships in my own way. I often wondered if having the concept of mutual care would make relationships healthier.
Looking at the work now, it feels too stream-of-consciousness, fragmented, lacking a coherent story, and focused too much on visuals at the expense of storytelling.